An Autograph And A Cherished Memory
Oct 01, 2018Posted by james
The boy was 12 years old when his father took him to Columbia, South Carolina, to watch an exhibition game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. The father was a Cardinals fan, because throughout the south during the 1940s the games were heard loud and clear on KMOX out of St. Louis.
The son was excited to see “Stan the Man” Musial. After the game, as Stan was boarding the team bus, the boy asked and received the outfielder’s signature, the only autograph he ever had requested from a baseball player.
The talented young infielder eventually played professionally with his favorite team (the Yankees, not the Cardinals). For a few years, he was the teammate of another Cardinals star, Enos “Country” Slaughter, when the outfielder was traded to New York.
When Enos died 16 years ago, the Slaughter family asked his former Yankees teammate to participate in the memorial service. Stan was there, too. They had become acquainted over the years from their participation in Old Timers’ Games. Following the service, the younger “old timer” mentioned the chance meeting so many years earlier in Columbia. He added that the brief moment and the autograph meant a lot to a youngster yearning to play in the big leagues. Stan was surprised to hear the story, adding that he sure was glad that he had not disappointed his now fellow “old timer.”
When the boy had become a major leaguer, he regularly recalled that special day in Columbia. He signed as many autographs as possible. To this day, his autographs showcase his best penmanship, allowing for his name to be completely readable unlike contemporary players who mostly, he said, write a letter or two followed by a squiggle. He understands that a simple signature and a brief moment with a professional athlete is a fantastic memory, especially for a young boy with major league dreams.
If you were a Yankees fan during the 1950s and 1960s, you will recognize the name of the all-star infielder. He left the game too early but did so to return to South Carolina to raise his family. That young boy, that Yankees infielder, that family man and now “old timer” is Bobby Richardson.
by james on Oct 01, 2018 |
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